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Cal landed a commitment from its second offensive lineman in the Class of 2026 when Elisha Faamatuauinu announced his intentions on social media after making an official campus visit this weekend.
A 6-foot-5, 330-pounder tackle who just completed his junior year at Murrieta High School in Riverside County, becomes the seventh prospect to commit to Cal’s 2026 class.
“They showed care not only for me but also my family,” Faamatuauinu told Rivals.
Cal first offered Faamatuauinu a year ago, and others in pursuit of him included Utah, Auburn, BYU, Purdue, Colorado State, UNLV, Michigan State, Arizona, Arizona State, San Diego State, SMU, USC, Oregon.
Rivals ranks him as a 3-star prospect, listing him as the No. 67 offensive tackle in the class and the No. 55 recruit in California.
He joins a Cal recruiting class that also includes Artem Korchagin, an interior offensive lineman from Thomasville, Georgia, who grew up in Russia.
Among widespread changes to coach Justin Wilcox’s staff, Cal’s O-line is now led by Famika Anae, most recently from New Mexico.
Follow Jeff Faraudo on Twitter, Facebook and Bluesky
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Tragedy strikes as promising 20-year-old hockey forward passes away
The hockey community as a whole is in shock as Christophe Babin, a 20-year-old forward from Quebec, has tragically passed away, leaving friends, family, and teammates devastated. Babin, who had only just begun his career in the Ligue nationale de hockey balle (LNHB), was playing his first season with Assurancia Venne et fille de Joliette before this heartbreaking news. The team confirmed his passing in an emotional statement, saying: "Our organization is mourning one of its members. We are deeply saddened to learn of the far-too-early passing of Christophe Babin, one of our promising young players but, more importantly, a young man loved by everyone. All our thoughts are with his loved ones and family. Watch over us, Babs." The official announcement can be seen on the Assurancia Joliette Facebook page via this post. A promising young career cut short, leaving the hockey world heartbroken Before joining the LNHB, Babin had already made his mark on the ice with the Prédateurs de Joliette (QJHL), where he had back-to-back strong seasons. He collected 34 points in 40 games one year, followed by 30 points in 44 games the next, proving himself as a productive and determined player. Just one week ago, Babin made his LNHB debut on July 18, suiting up for Joliette against Granby. Now, the same teammates who celebrated his first game are left grieving his sudden loss. "It's heartbreaking Last week, he was playing his first game, and today we're saying goodbye," shared one teammate on social media, capturing the devastation felt throughout the community. I can't help but feel shaken by news like this, as it reminds everyone how fragile life truly is.
Bruins' David Pastrnak Calls Out Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky: He Just Lacks Humility'
Juraj Slafkovsky is one of the most promising players in the NHL, but now he has been called out by David Pastrnak, who stated he lacks humility. After being picked No. 1 overall in 2022 NHL Draft, expectations were high in Montreal for young star Juraj Slafkovsky, and thus far, he's shown glimpses of being the elite level player many expected when he entered the National Hockey League. However, there are still some major steps to go, and in a recent interview, Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak pointed out perhaps one area where the 21-year old may need to improve moving forward. When asked about Slafkovsky and his potential, Pastrnak gave nothing but a glowing review of the young Canadiens star, but he did note that he believes Slafkovsky needs more humility. 'He's still a young player who is gaining experience in the NHL every year. This season it was already clear that he gave the team more than before...He just needs a little more humility, he should set an example for the young ones.' On the ice, there's no doubting that Slafkovsky has the presence, the size and the talent to be a true star, posting 101 total points over the past two seasons, but for whatever reason, it appears as though Pastrnak believes he needs to improve off the ice before he can take a major leap in Montreal. Ultimately, the talent is still there for Slafkovsky, and at 21-years old, he'll continue to learn off the ice, and if he can go anywhere close to living up to the potential that he's shown in his first three years at the NHL level, there's no doubt that he can be a big time star and help lead the Canadiens to significant post-season success.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit into the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .217/.288/.408 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability, and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts, and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Yankees maintain interest in acquiring another Rockies player
After already dealing Ryan McMahon to the Yankees, the Rockies are open for business heading into Thursday’s deadline as one of the few true sellers on the market. Another trade with the Yankees could be a possibility, as The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty reports that New York has interest in Colorado reliever Jake Bird among many other names on the bullpen market. Bird’s first three Major League seasons (2022-24) saw the right-hander post a 4.53 ERA, 19.3% strikeout rate, and 9.7% walk rate across 177 innings for the Rockies, all in a relief capacity apart from three pseudo-starts as an opener. His 4.05 ERA and 9.1% walk rate in 53 1/3 innings in 2025 are pretty comparable, but the big difference is a strikeout rate that has leapt up to 26.7%. Above-average whiff and chase rates support the increase in missed bats, and Bird’s solid barrel and grounder rates have also helped him limit damage at Coors Field. Interestingly, Bird’s home/road splits this year are actually much better in Denver (2.48 ERA in 29 innings) than away from home (5.92 ERA in 24 1/3 innings). A 3.19 SIERA paints an even more flattering picture of Bird’s improved performance, as a .352 BABIP has inflated the reliever’s ERA. Adopting the sweeper as his primary pitch seemed to have unlocked both Bird’s strikeout ability, and it has helped his curveball regain its 2023 status as a plus offering. Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake is a known proponent of the sweeper, which likely adds to New York’s interest in the Rox reliever. Bird will reach arbitration eligibility for the first time this winter, so he is controlled through the 2028 season. The Rockies are also reportedly open to offers on two other controllable relievers in Victor Vodnik and Seth Halvorsen, as Colorado’s willingness to take a broader approach to the deadline represents a change in direction for the organization. The Rockies had been traditionally wary about even moving pending free agents at the deadline, yet the new low of the team’s dreadful 27-78 record seems to have convinced the organization that larger changes are necessary. Even controllable relief pitching only has so much present value to a team that may be years away from contending, so it makes sense for the Rox to consider moving some of their bullpen arms. Given the natural volatility of relief pitching and Bird’s lack of a track record, selling high on his current success might well be a wise move for GM Bill Schmidt. Beyond the bullpen arms, Colorado is getting hits on other players on the roster. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand writes that Hunter Goodman, Brenton Doyle, Kyle Freeland and Austin Gomber are all getting varying degrees of trade attention, though it is very unlikely that Goodman or Doyle are moved. Goodman is enjoying a breakout season that resulted in an All-Star citation. Doyle is struggling through a rough year that has seen his bat and center field glovework both take big steps backwards from 2024, but the Rockies don’t seem likely to sell low. Goodman and Doyle are both controlled through the 2028 season, whereas Gomber is an impending free agent and Freeland is under contract through the 2026 campaign. Freeland is owed around $5.33M for the remainder of this season and then $16M in 2026, with a $17M vesting player option available for 2027 if Freeland tosses at least 170 innings next year. This price tag makes it pretty unlikely that Freeland will be dealt, unless Colorado was to eat most or all of that remaining salary. The southpaw has a 5.24 ERA over 101 1/3 innings in 2025, and a 5.03 ERA in 840 2/3 frames since Opening Day 2019. Because Freeland has spent his entire career in Denver’s thin air, there’s a bit of an X factor in gauging how well he could perform outside of such a hitter-friendly environment, even if his lifetime splits aren’t too drastic (4.85 ERA at home, 4.24 ERA on the road). Rival teams might not be intrigued enough by this potential upside to the take the plunge on a trade unless the Rockies indeed covered a lot of Freeland’s salary, which might not make it worth it for a Rox team that still needs someone to eat innings. Gomber is much less expensive and a rental player, so a rival team might have more willingness to take a flier on the southpaw as a depth arm. Feinsand notes Gomber’s superior road splits to his work at Coors Field, but the overall results haven’t been great, as Gomber has a 5.14 ERA in 578 1/3 innings since joining the Rockies prior to the 2021 season. That includes a 6.03 ERA in seven starts and 34 1/3 frames this year, as shoulder problems kept Gomber off the mound until mid-June.
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